The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of alkali metal salts of carboxymethyl cellulose, sometimes referred to in the literature as alkali metal cellulose glycolates. The alkali metal salts of carboxymethyl cellulose, hereinafter sometimes referrd to as "CMC", prepared utilizing the process of this invention possess enhanced viscosity and fluid loss control characteristics when disposed in an aqueous medium containing calcium ions dissolved therein.
Cellulose is a linear polymer of .beta.-anhydroglucose units. Each anhydroglucose unit contains three hydroxyl groups. CMC is prepared by the reaction of some of the cellulose hydroxyls with sodium monochloroacetate, using sodium to illustrate the alkali metal, or monochloroacetic acid as follows: